668 THE MYRIAPODA. 



as that of a tolerably large key or the barrel of a small pistol, upon 

 the spot, and the duration, if not the severity, of the pain is thereby 

 mitigated. 



In all these creatures the tail is composed of the last six joints of the 

 abdomen, and the powerful limbs, with the lobster-like claws at the 

 tips, are the modified palpi. The eyes of the Scorpions differ in num- 

 ber, some species having twelve, others eight, and others only six ; 

 these last constitute the genus Scorpio. On the lower surflice of the 

 Scorpions are seen two remarkable appendages, called the combs, the 

 number of teeth differing in the various species. In the Rock Scor- 

 pion the teeth are thirteen in number, while in the red scorpion there 

 are never less than twenty-eight. The Rock Scorpion is a large crea- 

 ture, measuring about six inches in length when fully grown. 



MYRIAPODA. 



In accordance with the best systems of the present day the Myria- 

 PODA are considered as a separate class. 



The Myriapoda are without even the rudiments of wings, and possess 

 a great number of feet, not less than twelve pairs, and in some species 

 there are more than forty pairs of legs. In allusion to their numerous 

 feet the Myriapoda are popularly called Hundred-legs, and their scien- 

 tific title is even bolder, signifying " ten thousand feet." To this class 

 belong the well-known centipedes, so plentiful in our gardens, and the 

 equally well-known millepedes, found under decaying wood and in sim- 

 ilar localities. In Eng- 

 ,„,,,/.r',jjui^^^s^^ land none of the Myria- 

 pods attain to great di- 



rp ,, ,T 1 .V mensions, but in hot coun- 



iHE Millepede {Jnlm terrestns). , . , . „ , 



tries, and especially under 



the tropics, they become so large as to be positively formidable as well 



as repulsive. 



\Ve now arrive at the true Scolopendrse, which, together with the 



allied genera, are popularly known by the name of Centipedp:s. The 



genus Scolopendrse is a very large one, containing about sixty species, 



most of them inhabitants of the tropics, and many attaining a large size. 



The great Scolopendrse are not only unpleasant and repulsive to the 



sight, but are really formidable creatures, being armed with fangs 



scarcely less terrible than the sting of the scorpion. These weapons 



are placed just below the mouth, and are formed from the second pair 



of feet, which are modified into a pair of strong claws, set horizontally 



in a manner resembling the falces of ordinary spiders, and terminated 



by a strong and sharp hook on each side. These hooks are perforated, 



and are traversed by a little channel leading from a poison-gland, like 



